Illumination devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), have become a part of our everyday lives and are incorporated into a wide variety of applications. A large variety of LEDs exist that collectively offer a wide variety of lighting capabilities. However, each individual LED has a limited capability. For example, LEDs may only have a single output color. Additionally, LEDs that are surface mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) may have a low rise distance above a mounting surface of the PCB. A low rise distance from a mounting surface of the PCB is particularly troublesome when the LED is a right angle output LED, which emits light generally at a right angle to an axis extending perpendicular to the mounting surface of the PCB. In other words, a right angle output LED may emit light parallel to a mounting surface of the PCB. Furthermore, right angle LEDs require additional components, such as light guides or reflective surfaces, to transfer the light from emission along an axis perpendicular to the mounting surface of the PCB to emission along an axis parallel to the mounting surface of the PCB. Utilization of such additional components diminishes the brightness and effectiveness of the LED.
Moreover, such conventional LEDs are typically comprised of several components manufactured independently of each other and subsequently connected together using adhesive, press-fit, interference-fit, snap-fit, or some other manner of connection. Connecting components together in this manner creates opportunities for incorrect assembly of the LED when tight tolerances are important for such LEDs. For example, some LEDs include a housing and a lens, and the lens is press-fit into the housing. Pressing the lens too lightly or too firmly into the housing can improperly position the lens, thereby diminishing LED performance. As indicated above, light guides or other reflective components may be required to alter light emission into a desired direction. Assembly of such light guides or other reflective members in the LED may create additional opportunities for incorrect assembly, thereby further diminishing LED performance.